The present invention relates to a reusable system for the construction of roadways and equipment support surfaces in areas having poor ground integrity characteristics. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system of durable mats which can be interconnected to form roadways and/or equipment support surfaces. More particularly still, the present invention relates to a reusable system of mats which can be quickly and easily positioned in a single layer to form roadways and/or equipment support surfaces, and which can thereafter be easily removed and stored until needed again.
Mats for this use are generally known in the art and are available from Quality Mat Company, Beaumont, Tex. In remote and unstable environments, a stable roadway (or any roadway) often does not exist, such that temporary roadways are assembled by aligning planks, boards or mats along the desired path. The mats provide temporary structures for various construction projects as well as for use in environmental or disaster cleanup projects. These mats enable trucks and other equipment to drive over, store equipment on, or create campsites on otherwise unstable, soft or moist land or damaged areas by providing a relatively level and stable surface.
While conventional wood mats provide useful service at a reasonable cost, the wood core, which is typically made of hardwood, can deteriorate over time due to moisture causing gradual rotting and degradation of the wood material. This causes the mat to be discarded, because unlike some of the other materials that are used on the upper and lower layers of the mat, the core cannot be replaced without essentially making an entirely new mat.
While various mats exist for such uses, there is a need for mats having improved resistance to wood deterioration as well as to abuse of and damage to the mats in order to extend their service lives. The present invention now provides new mat constructions that meet this need.